Bad news for the stormers

 KEO

No cavalry for Cape front runners

9 Jul 2012

The Stormers have been dealt a double blow with news that the injured trio of Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Nick Koster are unlikely to return for the play-offs and that Jebb Sinclair is ineligible for selection.

The Stormers have already lost Nizaam Carr for the rest of the season, and it could be that more experienced loose forwards like Burger, Vermeulen and Koster play no further part in this year’s Super Rugby competition.

According to coach Allister Coetzee, Vermeulen will see a knee specialist next Monday to determine his availability for a possible semi-final and final. There is a slim chance that Vermeulen will join the Cape side in the knockout stages, although Coetzee didn’t sound hopeful of Burger and Koster recovering from their own injuries to make a timely comeback.

Sinclair was recruited earlier in the season to offset the losses suffered in the loose forward department. The Stormers brought the Canadian into the mix knowing that he wouldn’t be available for the play-offs (the Sanzar law stipulates that a player needs to be signed before the 1 April cut-off to be eligible), but hoped that Burger, Vermeulen and Koster would be back in action by that point.

Last week, Coetzee said it was hoped that Sanzar would grant the Stormers special dispensation to include Sinclair in the play-offs given the Cape side’s high number of injuries in the loose forward department. However, Coetzee told keo.co.za on Monday that this request had been turned down.

What this means is that the Stormers will be without Sinclair in the play-offs, and it’s highly likely that Burger and Koster will be unavailable. If Vermeulen doesn’t receive good news from the specialist next week, he could also miss out.

This will force Coetzee to revisit the plan of starting Siya Kolisi, who is only into his first Super Rugby season, at No 8. It could be that Kolisi is shifted to the back of the scrum for the upcoming match against the Rebels, as this will allow a back row combination that will probably start in the play-offs some time to settle.

By Jon Cardinelli

 None of the loose forwards made the target recovery dates. Time to substitute the medical and rehab staff at the stormers. burger should have been available ages ago.

Thats it then. A semi final at Newlands and I cant say one can realistically hope for more.

 Yip Realistically at this stage. the team can win ugly, but that is it. they might even win it the comp but i don't feel too positive about it. All good and well to play in the leaugue phases witout these guys but you need them come knckouts.

 Kolisi to 8. Elstadt and Fourie at flanker.

Fourie could be a real wild card - more of a fetcher than Kolisi. Will be good to have Liebenberg in the game at hooker to provide needed grunt without a proven 8. Thought Kolisi was just OK in his last game at 8 and it really is expecting a lot out of the youngster to expect him to be a full replacement there.

Good thing we have Bekker in the lineouts with all those shorty loosies

Burger has been off since February and every time they say he will be back there is a further problem with his injury.    I doubt very much if he would ever again play international rugby or even on Super 15 level - what a pity.

I think the Stormers will have to go with the loosies they got - Kolisi, Elstadt and Armand.   That is really also a pity. 

Worse news is that they cant score trys.... check out the stats this year on them.

Defence can only get you so far - if they come up against a team that can score try(s) could be short playoff season for them.

Go Reds to sneak in and oust the Sharks.....................

 redsman a bit of topic for this thread- but you guys are out. The Stomers cant score tries but at least they do concede less than what they score. They have played many teams that can score tries- just not very well against them as per the log

Redsman

It is indeed a pity - but I do not think the Reds will make the play-offs this year.   There is an issue here that is important.    The teams that played attacking and attractive rugby has all lost more games than the Stormers.    They scored more tries - but they also gave away more points to the opposition.   It really is startling taking into account the number of points given away by the other teams.   If the averages were small - it would be a different kettle of fish - but it is in fact massive and in excess of 120 points.

That shows the value of good defence and the ability of the Stormers - with a number of star players missing - to not score tries, but still win matches.     I share your viewpoints completely about their inability to score tries - but the end result is determined by the ability to attack and also defend.   

Insofar as the play-off spots sre concerned - the problem for the Reds is they would have to hope that they beat the Waratahs with a bonus point to be in contention and then hope the Sharks do not do the same - or lose to the Cheetahs.  I do not think that would happen - hence my comments above.    Incidentally the same scenario applies to the Hurricans - an even less likely situation.However, the Sharks will know when they go on the field what will be required of them and we will see on Friday and early on Saturday  on who will be in the play-offs. 

Red 

If your Points differnence in the competition is 91 second only to the Crusaders and you can't score tries, your defense must be bloody good.

Scoring a crack load of tries is worthless if you can't stop them from bieng scored against you.

Re Scoring tries - all true but sad that a team in rugby can win on penalty kicks... not that exciting really...

re Reds making it - yeah I conceded half way thru season when lost to Sharks in Durban after a great start and then losing a number of 5/8s they were in trouble. Its a shame because they are definitely Australia's best team and if they scrapped in could take to any team.

redsman

The question remains - why all the penalties against opposing teams - when the Stormerss are attacking.   The opposing teams think it is better to give away penalties than to allow the opposing side to score tries.   It is a dangerous line of thinking and would if allowed to continue unpunished - could destroy rugby.   The same applies to the Stormers - they are also penalized in their defensive efforts - but the net result is they lost only two games out of 14 played - the next best team lost 3.

I think a line of thinking allowing for oenalties in defending your tryline removes attractiveness in the game and is a very negative way of playing rugby.

I know Cooper was out with injury - but of all the teams in Super 15  the Stormers were the hardest hit by injuries.   There best potential players were sidelined by injuries and that counted against them more than against any other team in Super 15 .   Yet they managed to get ahead - despite the injuries.